Amir Williams: Florida boy, 11, accidentally killed by brother, 14, 'while playing around' with stolen gun

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA: An 11-year-old boy lost his life to a gunshot wound, allegedly inflicted by his 14-year-old brother, on Friday afternoon April 26, according to the St Petersburg police. 

Authorities were called to the residence at 1421 43rd Street South at 12:15 p.m. as reported by Fox13.

Upon arrival, they discovered the victim, 11-year-old Amir Williams, who succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Police found 11-year-old child with gunshot wound

St Pete Police Assistant Chief Michael Kovacsev emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, "I’ll just be blunt, this is a community tragedy. We have an 11-year-old child who sustained a gunshot wound and is deceased inside the residence at home with two siblings. Access to firearms is something that we have been going over and over again in this police department for the last couple of years, and it continues to be a problem."

According to authorities, the brothers were accompanied by their 13-year-old sister at the time of the incident. 

Pinellas County students had the day off from school on Friday. Following the shooting, the 13-year-old girl contacted her mother to relay the events. 

However, en route home, the mother was involved in a car crash on the interstate, resulting in minor injuries and severe damage to her vehicle. 

Despite this, she managed to arrange a rideshare to return home.

The police reported that Amir's 14-year-old brother informed detectives that he discovered the gun in a nearby alley and that the family was unaware of its presence in the home.

Officers reported that the gun had been stolen from a car on April 24, and St Pete detectives are currently investigating how the 14-year-old obtained it. 

What did police report?

Assistant Chief Kovacsev emphasized the nature of the incident, stating, "This is another community tragedy." 

He underscored the senselessness of the situation, stressing that "teenager should not have had a firearm. He was playing around with the firearm and it discharged. An 11-year-old child was killed."

Kovacsev mentioned that charges against the teen were unlikely to be filed on Friday, but didn't rule out potential discussions with the State Attorney’s Office regarding possible charges in the future.

What did Amir Williams' family say?

Amir's family described him as the running back for the St Pete Little Devils football team and a sixth grader at Azalea Middle School.

His sister, Zy’Cariyah Williams, fondly remembered him as "very joyful and playful all the time with my little brother, and I love him to death,"

Family friend and former football coach, Darryl Walls, said, "He was a good kid and my condolences go out to the whole family and the healing process is only beginning, and I can’t imagine what the mom is going through and the sister who was in the house with them, I can’t imagine what they’re going through."

Walls emphasized the need for preventive measures, highlighting the urgency of addressing youth access to firearms before it's too late.

"It’s easy access for them to get the guns and that’s not good, and like I was telling them before, me and some friends of mine, we’re in the process of trying to get a program together, a youth program together, to guide these youth and do some sort of prevention stuff, because when it gets to this point, it’s too late. You got a family grieving, got an 11-year-old gone"

He expressed regret over the loss of such a promising young life and emphasized the importance of proactive interventions.